Pay off Phoenix Public Library With Canned Goods

The City of Phoenix Public Library is allowing residents to pay off their library fines with food.

The Food for Fines program aims to reduce fines while collecting food for two Phoenix-area food banks: St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance and the Desert Mission Food Bank.

Spokeswoman Franklin Lee sees this program as a win-win. Lee said residents can bring in non-perishable, non-expired, canned goods to get some of the fines taken off of their accounts.

“Fifty cents will be applied to each item,” she said. “We will do a maximum of $75.”

The food banks are in need of foot that is high in protein and have a long shelf life. The most desirable food items are tuna, peanut butter, beans, canned soup, stews or chilis, pasta, canned fruits or vegetables, rice, cereal and juice. Expired, perishable or anything homemade will not be accepted.

The program will start on Saturday, April 7 and run through April 21.

The Food for Fines program typically raise 50,000 to 70,000 pounds of food. The library will be collecting canned goods at all 17 locations. The locations can be found here.